Starlings in Birdhouse — Putting up a wooden birdhouse is a great way to support wildlife.

Putting up a wooden birdhouse in your garden is a great way to support your local wildlife. And once you have a pair of birds setting up a nesting site in your birdhouse you will have hours of enjoyment watching their comings and goings building their nest, feeding their young and watching a new generation of birds flying off into the world.

Each New Zealand garden bird species has different nesting needs. Some will simply not use a birdhouse, but lots will. So what birdhouse do you buy for what bird?

Open Birdhouse.

An open birdhouse is one that has a large opening rather than a hole. This style of birdhouse is designed to replicate a bird's natural nesting preference. And the large entrance allows the bird to have a wide view around the nesting site.

An open birdhouse will attract: Grey Warblers, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Silvereyes and House Sparrows and sometimes Tui.

Starling Birdhouse.

Starlings use birdhouses that require an entrance hole. Starlings need a 45mm hole, this is big enough for them but not big enough for predator birds such as Myna Birds.

Kohab Sparrow Birdhouse in a tree — Kohab Sparrow Birdhouse

House Sparrow Birdhouse.

House Sparrows require an entrance hole that is much smaller than a Starling, a hole that is 32mm is just right for them.

What to look for in a birdhouse

Not all birdhouses are the same and birds will only use one that is suitable for them and their young. If you buy a quality birdhouse you have more chance of attracting nesting birds year after year. Birdhouses should be:

Watertight so that rainwater doesn't leak in
Ventilated to avoid a build-up of moister, check that there are ventilation holes on the floor
Easy to open. Your birdhouse will need to be cleaned after each breeding season so you need to be able to open it easily to remove the old nest and other debris
Made of suitable wood. Some birdhouses are made of tantalised wood which is toxic to birdlife. Also, be careful of birdhouses that are glued, birds can nibble on the glue and ingest it causing them harm
Warm. Some birdhouses have very thin walls, birds and their young need to be able to keep warm.

Kohab Birdhouses.

Kohab Birdhouses have been specially designed to give safe, warm shelter to a range of regular visitors to NZ gardens. They are different from other birdhouses you can buy here in NZ because:

They are made for the birds in your New Zealand garden that will use a nesting box
They are made from marine-grade plywood and will last and last for generations of birdlife to come
Marine Plywood is safe, unlike Tantalised wood that some birdhouses are made of that are harmful to bird health and the environment
They have thick 12mm walls and roof to keep birds and their chicks warm
They are watertight to keep bird families dry
They have good floor ventilation to keep moisture levels low
The nails and mounting screws are made of stainless steel
They come in a kitset to reduce packaging and shipping costs, yet only take a few minutes to put together (see the instruction sheet here)
Plus they are proudly NZ made.

We hope you decide to put up a birdhouse in your garden. If so we would love to see any photos, simply email us at info@kohab.nz.